Can your citizenship be revoked?
By lilwonders
@lilwonders456 (8214)
United States
April 22, 2010 1:46pm CST
Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., introduced a resolution Wednesday urging the Obama administration to strip Anwar al-Awlaki of his American citizenship, arguing that the cleric voluntarily renounced his citizenship by recruiting terrorists.
"By his own actions, al-Awlaki has voluntarily surrendered his citizenship, and we should take the necessary steps to acknowledge that," he said. "Further should al-Awlaki be captured, his rights should be limited to those of an alien held abroad in military detention."
Anwar was born in New Mexico and was raised and educated in the US and Yemen. He has dual citizenship in to both countries.
Personally I think when he is caught he needs to be charged with treason and executed. But can the US government take his citizenship? I thought a natural born US citinzen could revoke their own citizenship...but I did not think the government could take it from them.
What do you think? Anyone know more about this? Not this specific case...but about a natural us citizen having their citizenship revoked in general.
Thanks
3 responses
@BCRMike (355)
• Vanderhoof, British Columbia
22 Apr 10
You can only have your citizenship revoked one way in a civilized country.
The laws that govern the land make it absolutely clear that you are a citizen of the country until you renounce your citizenship or your die.
Well seeing he is not about to renounce his citizenship, I guess we will have to kill him.
He can pick his new diggs in the afterlife.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Apr 10
oh..oh..oh mike is back...MIKE IS BACK!!!! YEAH!!!
I am a little excited can't you tell.
Welcome back MIke. It is great to see you.
Now for the topic...they are saying he commited treason...which in this country can get your citizenship revoked. But I don't really like the idea of the government being able to say...hey you may have been born here...but we are taking your citizenship away. YOu know..it sets a bad precident.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
22 Apr 10
Revoking his American citizenship, WOO! I would not care if my citizenship got revoked. Though I would still have to pay taxes, darn. There are advantages to not being a citizen, you can't be drafted, you do not have to worry about jury duty, you do not have to waist any time concerning who to vote for, you do not have to label your self an American but can call yourself a true individual. That is really not about this discussion, just opining.
Can the government revoke your citizenship, I do not know. I guess my answer would be why not. I know that is not very logic but I do not think it has come up before.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
22 Apr 10
The reason they want to do it in this case is because they want to NOT have to offer him his constitutional rights when or if he is caught...if he is a US citizen he would have to get them...but if the revoke it they can treat him as an "enemy combantant".
Gee...you did point out some good things about not being a citizen.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
23 Apr 10
I don't know if HE has done anything specifically that could allow them to revoke his citizenship, but it is possible. Frankly though, I think the government will wimp out on it just like they did with John Walker Lindh, that moron that was working with the Taliban. The part that applied to him was:
"Serving in the armed forces of a nation at war with the U.S., or if you are an officer in that force"
(copied from lamb above)
